LA TIMES: DE PALMA MAY GO PARANORMALPARAMOUNT CONSIDERS GENRE DIRECTORS FOR SEQUELJust days after getting an update on Brian De Palma's latest projects comes an unexpected report from Steven Zeitchik at the L.A. Times' 24 Frames blog. According to Zeitchik, Paramount is "seriously considering a trio of more experienced directors" to take on the sequel to Oren Peli's Paranormal Activity, the phenomenon shot for $10,000 that is still frightening audiences around the world. Steven Spielberg helped convince Dreamworks (which at the time was being aquired by Paramount) to distribute the film, eventually suggesting a different ending for the film in the process. The film was memorably promoted with ads showing audiences reacting to what was happening on the screen. Months ago, Paramount announced a release date for Paranormal 2-- October 22 2010. However, the director hired for the sequel, Kevin Greutert, who had directed Saw VI, was optioned back by Lionsgate for Saw VII 3D, which will also be released October 22nd. So Paramount has been searching for a director. Besides De Palma, the other two directors with genre experience being considered, according to Zeitchik, are Brad Anderson (Transiberian) and Greg McLean (Wolf Creek). Zeitchik states that the film currently has no director or actors attached, and that the screenplay is still being worked on.

My feeling is that De Palma's name attached to the sequel would make it stand out above the Saw sequel that comes out the same day. This is a project that De Palma could have a lot of fun with, bringing in a potential whopper of a film on time and under budget. It also has the potential to further some of the modern storytelling techniques he played around with in Redacted. Beyond all of that, it is no wonder Paramount would consider De Palma for a project such as this-- De Palma has had his two biggest hits (in terms of grosses) with Paramount: Mission: Impossible and The Untouchables. The question might be, will De Palma consider Paranormal Activity 2...?

They consider one of the greatest directors of our time as a replacement for the director of »Saw VI«?!! Whow. It would be great to have Brian De Palma back in this genre. Okay, in any genre. But as a replacement for Kevin Greutert?

Personally I think he should go for it. DePalma's a great director but his standing in the film industry has sharply dropped over the past few years. He's considered by many as poison and is struggling to get real financing for his film. If he ever wants to make some of his smaller more personal films he needs a commercial hit to his name.

This would be perfect. If they kept to the October 22 release date it would give DePalma a chance to shoot another low budget film on a quick production schedule and this one would be guaranteed, regardless of content, to receive large scale distribution. He wouldn't be distracted from his other projects for long (hell, he'd actually have one in serious production) and once finished with the film he might have some box office clout to get funding for his John Edwards like film.

Id tend to agree with Geoff in that it really wouldnt be a replacement this time, although it is a quirky fact that De Palma didnt in face replace the (if memory serves me right) Mouse Hunt director on M2M!

Id tend to agree with Geoff in that it really wouldnt be a replacement this time, although it is a quirky fact that De Palma did in fact replace the (if memory serves me right) Mouse Hunt director on M2M!

It would be great to see Brian De Palma back in the thriller (or horror) genre. Some time ago i've read on your site that he wanted to really scare audiences again (Toyer). I'm not sure the size of the canvas is big enough for his artistic strenghts in PA 2, it's not exactly like Toyer in Venice. And i'm not happy that he propably really needs to prove himself to the film industry with a low budget project. But if this is the reality, he wants to do it and it is the best chance to remember a huge audience, what a great director he is, why not. I would enjoy some real, pure De Palma suspense in the cinema again.